


Ebenezer Styles

by frosteddream



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Christmas, Famous Harry, Ghosts, M/M, Some parts might be viewed as scary, non famous louis, ziam (but very little)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-22
Packaged: 2018-09-09 14:22:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8894044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frosteddream/pseuds/frosteddream
Summary: Harry Styles is the world famous lead singer of his band, The Commoners. He has a ridiculously horrid attitude and cares about no one but himself. However, that will change when he's visited by three spirits. (A Christmas Carol AU)   Come say hi to me on Tumblr!





	1. Midnight

**Author's Note:**

> I'm in the Christmas spirit so I decided to do this fic! I will be updating this every day until it's finished (So, five days) and I really hope you enjoy it. For anyone who's currently reading Red, I will update next week (Around Wednesday or Thursday) (I don't plan to write next weekend because... Christmas.). Anyway, please enjoy this story! :) (BTW, a friend of mine chose the title for this story and I thought it was cute:3)

“Jesus Christ!” Harry shouts. “Why the fuck are all of you acting like this is your first time picking up an instrument?!”

This is the thirtieth time this morning that Harry Styles, the lead singer of The Commoners, stopped band practice to berate the other band members. They’re practicing their set for the annual Winter Ball, a charity Christmas concert filled with various music acts. Jess, the electric guitarist, Ally, the bass guitarist, and Vic, the drummer, all sigh in defeat.

“Come on, man,” Vic mutters. “We’re trying.”

Harry plasters on a sickly-sweet smile. “Aw, are my little muffins getting tired?”

Everyone nods.

Harry’s smile drops. “Then get your shit together! Now, let’s take it from the top.”

When it comes to the band, Harry always rules with an iron fist. He has no time for mistakes, complaints, or the slightest display of laziness. The band spends the entire morning going through their set before Harry is finally satisfied with their sound.

“Fucking _finally_.” Harry mutters, pinching the bridge of his nose. Jess, Ally, and Vic don’t say anything as they pack away their instruments and leave the venue.

Liam, the band manager, looks disdainfully at Harry. “You didn’t have to be so harsh, you know. They’ve only had a few days to learn new music.”

Harry scoffs. “Being harsh is the only thing that works. You can’t be Mother Theresa to a bunch of lazy pricks, Liam.”

Liam is silent while Harry packs away all his things. Liam continues to stay silent as Harry puts on his knapsack, wishes him a good afternoon, and heads towards the exit of the venue. Liam finally speaks up when Harry is just about to walk through the double doors of the exit.

“He sent you a Christmas card.” Liam says.

Harry stops dead in his tracks, his mind now being assaulted with memories that he no longer thinks are important. He knows exactly who Liam is talking about. He turns around to see Liam, his back to Harry, holding up a bright red card covered in glitter.

Harry shakes his head before he approaches Liam and snatches the card out of his hand. He examines the front of the card to see _From Louis_ neatly written on it.

“Every fucking year.” Harry mutters, stuffing the card in the pocket of his knapsack.

“Are you ok, Harry?” Liam asks. His worry for his client has suddenly made him look much older than he is. “I understand if this is a hard time of year for you. Nick-”

“Don’t.” Harry snaps, his eyes wide and his mouth set in a tense, thin line. Liam nervously bites his lip and looks away from Harry’s harsh stare.

Nick Grimshaw was the original drummer for The Commoners. He was also Harry’s best friend. The two of them were close before they were signed, but when The Commoners took off and became a household name, they became _inseparable_. When the money started flowing in and everyone started having the desire to either be them or fuck them, they started walking around like they owned everything, like they were kings walking among peasants. They stayed together in their smug bubble until December 21 st, 2014, the day that Nick was found dead in his hotel room with an empty syringe stuck in his veins. Harry has never been the same after that.

“I’m sorry I brought it up,” Liam says, his eyes full of regret.

“You’re forgiven.” Harry replies, his voice devoid of any emotion. He turns around to once again head for the exit.

“Um, Harry,” Liam calls. “Before you leave, can I ask you something?”

Harry gives a long-suffering sigh. “Sure.”

Liam hesitates before he speaks. “Well, tomorrow is Christmas eve.”

Harry rolls his eyes. “Congrats, Li, you know your dates.”

“I was wondering if I can leave tomorrow morning,” Liam rushes out. “I mean, there’s nothing left for me to do, you all are pretty much set, so I-”

“What are your reasons for leaving, Mr. Payne?” Harry asks. Liam’s skin pales. Harry only refers to him by his last name when he’s angry or upset with him.

“Well, you see, my son-”

Harry turns around and glares at Liam. “That was a rhetorical question, Mr. Payne. I don’t give a fraction of a shit about whatever you decided is more important than your job.”

“But, Harry, I don’t have anything else to-”

Harry steps closer to Liam. “If you want to keep your job, then I suggest you come here tomorrow morning at eight AM sharp.”

With that, Harry turns around and finally leaves the venue.

*~*

“Merry Christmas!”

“Would you like to donate to our charity?”

“Holy shit! It’s Harry Styles! Can I get a picture?”

Harry hears different variations of those three things as he walks back to his hotel, and gives three replies to those things.

“Piss off.”

“Screw off.”

“Fuck off.”

The Christmas spirit never fails to make Harry feel ill, he’d rather jump off a bridge than part ways with any of his money for things that doesn't benefit himself, and he hates meeting loud fans in the street who do nothing but shove phones in his face, which is actually a pretty reasonable dislike.

Harry gets back to his hotel at around five PM. He doesn’t feel like going out or calling someone to get off with, so he decides to just stay in and relax. He’s got a busy day tomorrow. He takes a quick shower, dresses in a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants, lays on his bed, and turns on the TV. After a while of flicking through the channels, he finally settles on _Chopped_.

Halfway through the show, his phone starts to buzz on the nightstand. He picks it up to see Jess’ name on the screen. He sighs before he accepts the call and puts the phone on speaker.

“What do you want, Jess?” Harry asks impatiently.

“Um, my folks are having a Christmas party after the show tomorrow.” Jess says.

“And?”

“And, well, I was wondering if you wanted to come. Vic and Ally are also coming.”

Harry scoffs. “You bugged me just for that?”

“I just-”

“Why the hell would I attend your simple family get together? That's not exactly my scene, Jess.”

“I thought-”

“Well you thought wrong.”

Harry ends the call.

When he puts his phone back on the nightstand, his eyes travel to the corner of the room. He sees the red card peeking out of the pocket of his knapsack. He doesn’t want to read it. He really, really doesn’t want to read it. But his curiosity gets the best of him, just like it does every year. He gets out of bed and retrieves the card from the knapsack. He lays back down on the bed and opens the card.

_Have a very merry Christmas, Haz._

_With love, Louis._

Harry clutches the card with all his strength before he balls it up and throws it on the ground. Last year there were three sentences. The year before that, there were four sentences. And the next year before that, there were two whole paragraphs. Harry wonders what next year’s card is going to be like. He wonders if there’s even going to be a card next year, because it's obvious that Louis’ getting tired. There’s a part of Harry that doesn’t want to care about whether there’s a card next year or not, but an even larger part of him looks forward to those cards… especially since they’re the only presents he’s been receiving for the past three years.

Harry furiously shakes his head and runs his trembling fingers through his hair. “I don’t need those damn things. He needs to move on with his life anyway.”

Harry brings his attention back to the show, but he isn’t nearly as focused on it as he was before. The afternoon sun sets, leaving behind a pitch-black sky illuminated by the lights of New York City. Harry mindlessly sits through three episodes of Chopped and one episode of Cake Wars before the power shuts off. He sits up in his bed and looks around his now pitch-black room in frustration.

“God fucking dammit,” He mutters, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Really?”

Harry is about to get out of bed when a high-pitched scream suddenly assaults his eardrums. He yelps and covers his ears, desperate to keep out the unbearable noise. He looks up and gasps when he sees a gaping hole in the floor right in front of the TV. Harsh green light shines from the abyss and smoke rises from it. Suddenly, a dark figure with its head hung low rises from the abyss. The figure has chains attached to its wrists and ankles. Harry can’t breathe as he slowly backs up until his back hits the headboard.

“I fell asleep,” Harry whispers. “I fell asleep, this is just a dream, none of this is real.”

The figure suddenly lifts its head, revealing a face that Harry hasn’t seen in two years.

“N-Nick?” Harry breathes. His eyes are wide and he feels like ice water is flowing through his veins.

Nick grins. “Long time no see, Haz!”

Harry is silent for a while, just staring at the unbelievable sight in front of him, before he slowly shakes his head. “This is not real. This is just a dream, an extremely fucked up dream.”

Nick frowns. “This is no dream, my friend. This is reality.”

“N-No,” Harry insists. “It’s not. This is-”

Before Harry can finish his sentence, Nick is suddenly in his face, letting out an ear piercing scream. Harry screams back, now completely terrified by the look on Nick’s face and the sudden noise. The next moment, Nick is back where he was, floating right above the abyss.

“Put your hand over your chest.” Nick demands. Obediently, Harry does just that. “Do you feel how fast your heart is beating? Do you feel how your entire body is shaking? Do you feel the _fear_ squeezing your mind like a vice? You can’t feel those things in your dreams, Haz.”

Harry’s breath is ragged and his hand is clutching his shirt like a lifeline. “Please don’t ever do that again."

Nick shrugs. “I had to do something to get you to accept that this is real."

“Nick… you look awful.”

Surprisingly, Nick’s grim expression gets replaced by a grin. He throws his head back and laughs.

“Well of course I don’t look the best,” Nick says through his laughter. “I mean, I _am_ dead.”

“Wh-what’s with the chains?” Harry asks.

Nick lets out a dramatic sigh. “These, my dear friend, are the chains that I created in life. With every horrible deed and act of selfishness, these things grew longer and heavier. You currently run the risk of having similar restraints in _your_ afterlife.”

Harry’s eyes widen. “What? But, Nick, how could this be?”

“Simple, you're a jackass.” Nick answers. “I spent the last years of my life being cruel and selfish and now look at me. I don’t want you to suffer the same fate, Harry. You still have a chance.”

Harry shakes his head, feeling more confused than he’s ever felt in his life. “What… the fuck are you talking about?”

Nick fixes him with an emotionless stare. “Tonight, you will be visited by three spirits. The ghost of Christmas past, the ghost of Christmas present, and the ghost of Christmas yet to come. Listen to them, follow them. They’re the only ones that can help you now.”

“Can I like… _not_ get visited by these ghosts?” Harry asks.

“At midnight.” Nick whispers, his voice echoing off the walls. He groans in pain when his chains start to pull downward, slowly pulling him back into the abyss. “Save yourself, Harry. Please see the error of your ways.”

Nick screams when the chains are pulled more violently, causing his body to quickly disappear in the bright green abyss.

*~*

Harry wakes up in a cold sweat. He sits up in his bed and observes his surroundings. The lights are on, the TV is currently showing an episode of Cutthroat Kitchen, the air condition is whirring, and the alarm clock on the nightstand reads 11:52 PM. He puts his hand over his chest to feel that his heart is beating a mile a minute.

 _“A nightmare,”_ Harry thinks. _“It was only a nightmare.”_

Harry lays back in his bed and does a breathing exercise to calm down his racing heart. Even though he’s exhausted, he doesn’t want to go back to sleep after having such a trippy nightmare. He stares up at the ceiling, paying no attention to the clock slowly approaching midnight.


	2. Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spooky ghost voice: Enjoooy the chaaapter.

When the clock strikes midnight, the power once again goes out and the room is filled with a bright yellow light.

Harry closes his eyes and gives a deep sigh. “You’ve got to be fucking with me.”

“I’m afraid that you’re not my type.”

Harry flinches and sits up to see a woman with bright pink hair sitting at the foot of his bed. The woman has a smile on her face that could melt the coldest of hearts.

“Greetings, jackass!” The woman cheers. “I’m the ghost of Christmas past, but you can call me Perrie!”

Harry stares at Perrie as if she’s just a figment of his overactive imagination. She rolls her eyes before she gets up from the bed, grabs Harry by the ankles, and yanks him towards her.

Harry starts kicking, trying to get her to let go. “What are you doing?!”

“Come here,” she demands. “We don’t have that much time. Let’s get this show on the road!”

Harry grumpily gets out of bed and stands in front of Perrie. Even though he towers over her and is currently giving her a look that shows that he isn’t pleased with her, Perrie looks up at him with a bored expression, completely unaffected by his intimidating presence.

“You can’t scare the dead, love,” She says. “Our worst nightmare has already happened.”

Harry takes a good look at Perrie. For the first time, he notices that he can literally see right through her. He hesitantly reaches his hand out and gasps when it goes through her body. He snatches his hand away and turns away from her.

“Why are you here?” He asks, his voice wavering.

She lifts an eyebrow at that. “To help you.”

Suddenly, Harry can no longer see through her. Her body becomes opaque before his very eyes. She holds her hand out towards him.

“Come,” She orders. “Like I said, we don’t have much time.”

Harry reluctantly places his hand in hers. As soon as he does this, a whirlwind of sparkling light surrounds them before they disappear from the hotel room.

*~*

Perrie and Harry appear in a living room that’s instantly familiar to Harry. The room is decorated with a huge Christmas tree, stockings hung on the mantle of the fireplace, Santa and snowman figurines, and blue and white paper snowflakes that cover the walls. This is Harry’s old home from when he was a child.

“Mummy!”

Harry turns his attention to the entryway. There, the eight-year-old version of himself is pulling his mother, Anne, into the room.

“Santa came!” younger Harry shouts. He has a wide smile on his face, which shows that his two front teeth are missing.

Harry’s older sister, Gemma, trudges behind her mother and brother, rubbing her eyes and mumbling about how early it is. Younger Harry makes Anne sit down on the couch before he starts digging through his presents. Gemma joins younger Harry under the tree and starts to unwrap her presents. Anne fondly watches her children grin and cheer at all the stuff they got. Harry watches the scene before him and he can’t help but crack a smile.

“You were such an adorable little thing,” Perrie says. “The fuck happened?”

Harry scoffs. “Fuck off.”

Younger Harry lets out a particularly loud squeal when he pulls a toy guitar out of its box.

“This is just what I wanted!” he shouts in delight.

“Santa did a good job?” Anne asks.

“He did an amazing job!” He answers. “I’m gonna play all kinds of songs for you and Gem!”

Gemma plasters on a fake smile, trying her hardest to hide the hatred she already felt for the loud toy. She isn’t looking forward to hearing _Old McDonald had a farm_ countless times.

Younger Harry starts jumping in place. “I’m so excited! I finally have a guitar!”

“You always had such a strong love for music.” Perrie says.

Harry nods. “Yeah, it was my first love. I remember how happy I felt when I picked up that toy. I also remember how it annoyed the hell out of Gemma. She ended up smashing it to bits.”

Perrie laughs. “Then your mum replaced it with a _real_ guitar.”

Harry nods with a small smile on his face. “Yeah, she did. She signed me up for lessons and the rest is history.”

Younger Harry suddenly runs out of the room. “Hang tight! I got presents for both of you!”

“Aw, you got them presents?” Perrie asks, nudging Harry’s arm.

Harry shakes his head. “They were just stupid little flower pots my nan helped me make.”

Younger Harry comes back in the room with two little flower pots in his hands. The one in his left hand is Gemma’s. It’s red and has snowflakes painted on it. The one in his right hand is Anne’s. It’s green and has a snowman painted on it. He gives Gemma and Anne their flower pots and they eagerly accept them.

Perrie smiles. “Your mother and your sister certainly didn’t think they were stupid.” Her smile turns into a small frown. “When was the last time you talked to them, Harry?”

Harry sighs. “Shit, I don’t even know. After things took off with the band I just…”

“Didn’t think they were important anymore?” Perrie supplies.

Harry shakes his head. “No. When the band started to become this huge thing, I _tried_ to keep in contact with them, I really did. But eventually… I just got so busy. Touring, interviews, band practices, parties. It all kept me busy and…”

“They got put on the back burner.” Perrie says, crossing her arms over her chest.

Harry keeps his eyes on the younger version of himself and his family, not wanting to face Perrie’s judgmental stare. She places her hand on his shoulder.

“We must move on.” She says.

Before Harry can say anything, a whirlwind of sparkling light surrounds them before they disappear from the living room. They reappear in a much louder environment. They’re now in the loud audience of a concert. Harry sees the sixteen-year-old version of himself belting out _Mr. Brightside_ into the microphone.

“Do you remember this?” Perrie asks, getting closer to Harry so he can hear her.

“Battle of the bands!” Harry shouts, a huge grin on his face. “This was the first time we played in public. We won, too.”

“Do you remember anything else about this particular night?” Perrie asks, pointing to her left.

Harry’s eyes follow where she’s pointing and he suddenly freezes. There in the audience, mouthing along to the lyrics and looking up at the stage with shining eyes, is Louis.

“Right,” Harry whispers. “The night we first met.”

A whirlwind of sparkling light surrounds them before they disappear and reappear in a dark alley. The younger version of Harry is crowding Louis against the brick wall of the concert venue. The two of them are looking at each other as if they’re the only living humans on earth.

Younger Harry nervously bites his lip and looks away from Louis. “So, uh, did you enjoy the show?”

“I did,” Louis answers. “Your band is sick. Definitely deserved the win.”

Younger Harry blushes. “Thank you. I couldn’t help but notice you in the crowd. You were by far the hottest person there.”

Perrie scoffs. “That was your best attempt at flirting?”

“ _Hey_ , I got better over the years.” Harry whines.

Regardless of younger Harry’s poor attempt at flirting, Louis still blushes like a madman.

“Thank you,” he says. “You’re, uh, not too shabby yourself.”

Younger Harry licks his lips. “Thank you. The guys and I are having a little celebration party back at my place. Wanna come along?”

Louis nods. “Sure, I’d love to.”

Younger Harry grins. “Cool.”

He takes Louis’ hand and leads him out of the alley. As they walk away, Harry can hear the sweet things his younger self whispers to Louis. It makes his chest ache.

“You were crazy about him since the very first moment you saw him,” Perrie says with a fond smile. “You asked him out that night, did you?”

Harry only nods, fearing that his voice would waver if he tries to speak. A whirlwind of sparkling light surrounds them before they disappear and reappear in the basement of Harry’s childhood home. The place is filled with loud music and merriment. Through the small crowd, Harry can see his eighteen-year-old self, smiling from ear to ear with his arm wrapped around Louis’ waist.

“I’m _positive_ you remember this.” Perrie says.

Harry grins. “Damn right I do. This was the day our band got signed. The first thing we did was get a shit load of booze and call all of our closest friends for a party.”

Perrie smiles at younger Harry as he laughs along with the rest of the band. “This is one of the proudest moments of your life, isn’t it?”

“God, it’s _the_ proudest moment of my life,” Harry corrects. “So many people told us that we couldn’t do it, that we were going nowhere, and that call we got from the record company was a huge fuck you to all those people. We showed everyone exactly what we were made of.”

Perrie nods in understanding. “The small-town superstar that no one believed in. Classic success story.”

Harry chuckles. “I guess.”

Younger Harry suddenly stands on top of a table and calls for everyone’s attention. The room quiets down and everyone looks up at him.

“First, you all fucking _rock_ for coming.” Harry slurs with a dopey smile on his face.

“God, I was plastered.” Harry groans. Perrie laughs.

“Second, I wanna thank all of you for supporting us,” Younger Harry continues. “We worked pretty damn hard for this and I gotta say, victory tastes pretty fucking sweet.” Everyone raises their cups at that. “I wanna thank Ally, Jess, and Nick for being the best band mates a guy could ask for. I can’t wait to start this journey with the three of you.”

“Aw, Harry, you’re making us blush.” Nick jokes, eliciting laughter from Ally and Jess.

Younger Harry turns his attention to Louis and his expression visibly softens. “I would also like to thank Louis. For the past two years, this boy has been an inspiration to me. A lot of songs have been written about his kindness, his heart, his beauty, the hot nights in the back of my car.” The crowd whistles at that while Louis flips him off. “But seriously, Louis, you’re the love of my life. I can’t wait for us to see the world and make more beautiful music together. And, baby, as soon as I get my first paycheck, I’m gonna buy you all the fancy shit you want!”

Everyone, including Louis, laughs as younger Harry carefully gets off the table. He wraps his arms around Louis, pulls him close, and lightly presses their lips together, causing everyone around them to whistle and make inappropriate comments.

Louis pulls away from the kiss. “Alright, alright, show’s over. Fuck off and enjoy the party.”

When the crowd resumes their festivities, Harry and Louis turn their attention back to each other. They just stand there, holding each other tightly and sharing words that only they could hear, paying no mind to the world around them unless something hilarious happens.

“Even after two years, you two _still_ couldn’t get enough of each other,” Perrie says. “You were so in love.”

“Yeah,” Harry says softly. “I was. He was everything to me. I couldn’t even write music without at least talking to him. His _voice_ was enough inspiration for me.”

Perrie gives Harry a sad smile before she puts her hand on his shoulder. A whirlwind of sparkling light surrounds them before they disappear and reappear in a hotel room. Harry’s heart drops at the familiarity of this particular place.

“No,” He whispered. “I don’t wanna see-”

Harry is interrupted when the door swings open and his pissed off twenty-year-old self enters the room. Louis follows behind him, looking equally pissed off.

“What the fuck, Harry?!” Louis yells.

Younger Harry’s mouth hangs open. “Are you seriously gonna act like you’re the victim here? You’re the one that followed me, you fucking-”

“Who was that guy, Harry?” Louis asks. He was tense and looked as if he was trying his hardest to hold himself together, to not break down in front of the man before him.

Younger Harry rolls his eyes. “He was no one, Lou. Nick just suggested that I’d flirt a little since he was obviously into me. It was harmless fun. No need to bitch.”

Louis scoffs. “Harmless fun? Sticking your tongue down someone else’s throat isn’t harmless fun. It's _cheating_.”

“God, you’re so dramatic.” Younger Harry groans.

Louis shakes his head. “You’ve changed, Harry, and not for the better. Where’s the man I met at battle of the bands? Where’s the man who snuck me out of my house just so we could go to the park and talk for hours? Where’s the man who told me that I was his inspiration? Where’s the man I fell in love with?”

Younger Harry laughs in such a cold manner that makes Harry's skin pale. “He’s gone, love. He got replaced by someone much better. I don’t know what kind of fantasy world you live in where people stay the same and don’t ever change, but you need to get out of it. Did you even hear yourself? You are so far removed from reality, it’s laughable.”

Louis just smiles as tears start to roll down his cheeks. “I’m not the one who’s far removed from reality. You think you’re this important person who’s better than everyone else, but in reality, you’re just a selfish cunt who lost his way.”

Younger Harry steps closer to Louis and glares down at him. “If that’s the way you feel, then get out.”

Louis doesn’t move an inch for a moment, but when he finally does, he moves quickly. He shrugs on his jacket, snatches up his keys, and puts his phone and wallet in his back pocket. He turns away from Younger Harry and pauses. He looks up and Harry’s breath hitches when his eyes make contact with Louis’. He could see everything in those eyes that he refused to see back then. The hurt, the pain, and the sorrow that could only come from letting go of someone who used to be the love of your life.

“Merry Christmas, Harry.” Louis says before he leaves the room.

Younger Harry stares after him with an unreadable expression before he sighs and sits down on the bed.

“Whatever,” He says to himself. “Don’t need him anyway.”

“Yes, you do!” Harry shouts, now standing in front of younger Harry. “We need him! We’ve always needed him! Don’t be stupid! Run after him, get down on your knees, and beg for his forgiveness, you dumbass!”

“He can’t hear you, Harry,” Perrie says. “What’s done is done.”

He ignores her. “You’re stupid! You’re so damn stupid! Run after him right now!”

“You can’t undo the past, my friend.” Perrie says, her voice beginning to fade.

Harry is still screaming at his younger self as he fades away from the hotel room.


	3. Present

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy, my lovelies! :3

Harry wakes up struggling to catch his breath. He looks around to see that he’s back in his hotel room. The power is on. He sits up in his bed and buries his face in his shaky hands, taking the time to calm down. His heart feels like it’s about to break out of his chest and run around the room.

“You alright, pal?”

Harry groans and keeps his hands on his face, not wanting to look up at whoever just spoke to him. He has a good idea of who’s now in the room with him.

He sighs. “Let me guess. You’re the ghost of Christmas present.”

“Yup!” The spirit answers cheerfully.

Harry finally removes his hands from his face to see a brunet with a cheery smile. He also sees that the power is out and the room is once again filled with a bright yellow light.

“The name’s Niall,” The spirit informs. “Nice to meet you! I realize that you’re probably already over this whole thing, but there’s still more for you to see. Now, take hold of my shirt.”

Harry doesn’t move.

“Take hold of my shirt.”

Harry still doesn’t move.

“Take hold of my fucking shirt!” Niall shouts as a loud clap of thunder suddenly shakes the room.

Harry quickly grabs the bottom of Niall’s shirt.

Niall smiles once again. “Thank you for your cooperation. Now, let’s get this show on the road! By the way, sorry for not being able to do the whole sparkling whirlwind thing. Only Perrie can do that.”

They disappear from the room when Niall claps his hands together. They reappear in a living room that Harry vaguely remembers. He sees Jess, Vic, and Ally sitting together on a couch, laughing along with their friends as they play a very heated game of scrabble.

“This is Jess’ house,” Niall informs. “You probably don’t remember it that well since you haven’t been here in so long.”

“I remember this place,” Harry says. “We used to hang out here and play board games all day. Jess’ mom would spoil us with hot pockets and pizza rolls.”

Niall purses his lips. “Well, that’s a shock.”

Harry’s eyebrows furrow. “Why?”

“You look pretty fond remembering something so… _simple_.” Niall answers. Harry frowns.

“Hey, Jess.” Vic calls.

“What?” Jess hums, staring at the board as she figures out her next move.

“Ally told me that you invited Harry to the Christmas party,” Vic says. “Please tell me that you weren’t that stupid.”

Everyone, even Jess, laughs at that.

“Ease up, man,” Jess replies. “Regardless of how much of an ass he is, he’s still a part of the band. I knew he was gonna say no, but it still didn’t feel right to not extend an invitation to him.”

Vic nods in understanding. “Makes sense. Hey, can you tell us exactly what he said? He was bougie as hell, wasn’t he?”

Jess nods with a humorous grin on her face. “The prick called the party a simple family get together and said that it isn’t his scene.”

Everyone in the room roars with laughter.

“He’s becoming a parody of himself!” Ally chokes out. “What a douche!”

Harry snorts. “Well, that’s rude.”

“So is acting like a self-important douche when your friend of fifteen years asks you if you wanna spend the holidays with them.” Niall says, crossing his arms over his chest.

Harry sighs. “I… agree that I was a bit harsh.”

Niall raises an eyebrow. “A bit?”

“Ok, I was an asshole.”

“That’s better.”

“I feel bad for Harry, though.” Jess says when her laughter calms down. “I mean, it’s the holidays and he has no one to spend them with.”

Ally scoffs. “That’s his own damn fault. Let him spend another year at some exclusive party acting like he’s better than everyone.”

“I don’t act like I’m-”

“Yes… the fuck… you do.” Niall interrupts. “We’re moving on. Take hold of my shirt.”

Harry grabs onto Niall’s shirt. With a loud clap of Niall’s hands, they disappear from the room and reappear in a beautifully decorated dining room. Harry’s heart warms when he sees the people sitting at the table.

“This is the house I bought for my mum.” Harry says.

Niall smiles. “Correct.”

Anne, Gemma, and a few other members of Harry’s family have their heads bowed as Anne says a prayer before dinner. Harry can’t help but zone out of it.

“God, I hated these drawn-out prayers before dinner when I was kid,” Harry groans. “The lord has been praised countless times for centuries. I’m pretty sure he’d be cool with a simple _thank you_ at this point.”

“And Lord… please watch over Harry.”

As soon as those words come out of Anne’s mouth, Harry is instantly paying close attention to the prayer.

“Watch over him and make sure that he continues to have success in his career. I also hope that he has a wonderful Christmas. Amen.”

After everyone around the table gives a resounding _Amen_ , they start digging in their food.

Gemma rolls her eyes as she starts eating her food. “I wish nothing good for that bastard.”

“Gem,” Anne sighs disapprovingly, sounding completely exhausted.

Harry can feel his chest start to ache. “No. Not you too, Gem. Come on.”

“It’s not like I’m the only one at the table who feels this way,” Gemma mutters. “He treats us like we don’t even exist yet you pray for him at every meal.”

Everyone else at the table nonchalantly eats their food and engages in their own conversations. They’re used to these outbursts from Gemma.

Harry scoffs. “I don’t treat them like they don’t-”

“Yes… the fuck… you do.” Niall interrupts.

“Harry’s a busy man, Gemma,” Anne says. “He travels the world doing concerts, interviews-”

“And he still has time to party with A-listers and supermodels,” Gemma interrupts. “Mum, when are you gonna stop defending his behavior? He’s a mess and he never takes the time to even give us a call.”

“I will always defend him, just like I will always defend you,” Anne replies fiercely. “Besides, he takes good care of us.”

“You see?” Harry says, gesturing towards his mother. “She gets it. I don’t understand why Gemma’s being this way. I may not be around all the time-”

“You’re never around.”

“But I take great care of my family. I gave them the lifestyle they live. They sit pretty in nice apartments and fucking mansions that I paid for!”

Niall shakes his head as he looks at Harry in disdain. “And they appreciate all of it. However, none of it could ever replace _you_.”

Harry’s skin goes cold and his furious expression is wiped away from his face. He takes a good look at his mother’s face to see that it held an obvious sadness that he’s never seen before. She picks at her food and occasionally stares longingly at the empty chair beside her. Gemma, who has now calmed down, places her hand over Anne’s and gives it a squeeze. Anne looks over at her and gives her a forced smile.

Harry looks down at the ground and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Can we move on now?”

Niall nods. Harry holds on to the sleeve of Niall’s shirt before Niall claps, making them disappear from the room. They reappear in a hotel room that looks like Harry’s. Harry sees Liam sitting at a desk, skyping with a man and a child. Harry knows that the man is Zayn, Liam’s husband, because he’s seen him at a few work events and concerts, but he has no clue who the child is.

“How are my special boys doing?” Liam asks with huge grin.

“We’re doing great!” The child answers cheerfully. “Daddy’s adding things to my costume. He says it has to look perfect for tomorrow!”

Liam chuckles. “Well, it does. My baby has to shine in style.”

“ _Papa_ ,” The child whines at the pet name.

“Liam’s a father?” Harry asks, his eyes wide.

Niall rolls his eyes. “Yeah. His name is Alex and Liam and Zayn adopted him two years ago. Liam has told you that countless times, but everything just goes in one ear and out the other for you.”

“No, it doe-”

“Yes… the fuck… it does.”

“I know my lines by heart, papa!” Alex shouts. “I can’t wait for you to see the play.”

Liam’s smile drops. “Um, yeah, about that… I’m afraid that I won’t be able to make it, buddy.”

Harry can feel his heart shatter at the look of pure sadness and disappointment that takes over Alex’s face. Zayn’s expression turns sour. Even though this is news to him, he already knows why Liam can’t be at the play.

“But… papa, you promised you’d be there.” Alex says, his voice wavering.

Liam sighs. “I know. I’m sorry, Alex, I really am. Work-”

“You promised!” Alex interrupts. “We bought you a ticket and every-” he cuts himself off when he starts coughing. Zayn starts giving him firm pats on his back.

“Don’t work yourself up, sweetheart,” Zayn says soothingly. “It's not good for you.”

“What’s wrong with Alex?” Harry asks.

“The poor thing has been sick since last year,” Niall answers. “And I’m afraid he doesn’t have much time left.”

Harry furiously shakes his head. “No. That’s not fair. Liam and Zayn just added him to their family. They can’t just… lose him.”

Niall shrugs. “That’s exactly what’s gonna happen if things don’t start changing.”

“Alex, can I talk to your papa alone for a sec?” Zayn asks. Reluctantly, Alex gets off his lap and walks off screen.

Zayn waits a few minutes, making sure Alex is out of ear shot, before he speaks. “That no good son of a bitch can’t keep you there on Christmas eve!”

Liam pinches the bridge of his nose. “babe-”

“The _nerve_ of that man. He just wants everyone else to be as miserable as him! He’s taking you away from the precious moments you should be having with your son!”

“If it wasn’t for Harry, we wouldn’t-”

“No,” Zayn spits. “Don’t you give that asshole credit for anything!”

“Zayn!” Liam shouts, causing him to quiet down. “Look, babe, it’s… it’s ok. Just tape the performance for me and I’ll be there as soon as I can on Christmas day, ok?”

Zayn sighs. The fight in him is visibly draining out. “Li, there’s no way you’ll be able to get a flight on _Christmas day_. You were lucky to get a ticket for tomorrow. It’s not fucking fair. We’re supposed to spend Christmas together as a family.”

Liam gives him a sad smile. “I know, babe, but we have to look at the positives. I promise we’ll have our Christmas as soon as I get back, ok?”

“Ok.”

“I love you.”

“Love you too, Li. Merry Christmas.”

The call ends and Liam lays his head down on the desk. Harry can tell that Liam’s crying when his entire body starts to shake.

“Let’s move along,” Niall says. “We have one more stop.”

Harry grabs onto Niall’s sleeve. Niall claps and then they disappear from the room. They reappear in an immaculate, modern-looking kitchen. Harry’s eyes widen when he sees Louis, along with the rest of his family, sitting at the dining table. In this moment, it finally hits Harry that he hasn’t seen Louis in _three years_. His hair has gotten longer, a bit of stubble is dusting his face, and his skin is tanner.

“This is Louis’ home.” Niall informs.

“ _Fuck_ , he looks good.” Harry breathes.

Niall smirks. “Keep it in your pants, curly.”

Harry blushes. “Fuck off.”

“I’m so excited!” Daisy squeals. “I can’t believe we’re going to the Winter Ball!”

Harry’s eyes widen at that. “What? They’re coming to the Winter Ball?”

“I’m gonna see all my loves,” Phoebe sighs. “Marina and the diamonds, The Neighbourhood, Paramore, The Commoners. Best Christmas present ever, Louis!”

Louis smiles at the twins’ enthusiasm. “I’m pretty excited too. Should be fun.”

“It’s gonna be _sick_ ,” Fizzy says with a grin. “I have a friend who went last year and she said that the whole thing is such a religious experience. I can’t believe you actually got tickets, Lou!”

“I can’t believe it either.” Jay says, giving Louis a skeptical look. She obviously knows what his intentions are.

“Girls, can you step out for a minute?” She asks. “I want to talk to your brother alone.”

“If he did something wrong, please don’t kill him,” Lottie says, getting up from the table. “He’s the only one who knows where the tickets are.”

Louis scoffs. “Love you too, sis.”

The girls leave the kitchen. Louis keeps his eyes down and starts to pick at his nails, trying to avoid Jay’s stare.

“Why are you putting yourself through this?” Jay asks. “It’s been three years, Lou.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Louis mutters.

Jay sighs. “First the cards and now this.”

Louis looks up at her, shock written all over his face. “How did you know about the cards?”

“Lottie told me.” Jay answers. “She’s worried about you. Babe, tell me what’s going through your mind right now.”

Louis is silent for a moment before he speaks. “I don’t really know what to say. It’s been so long and I still can’t get over him. I just… I just want to see him. I don’t plan for us to have some spectacular reunion where we pick up where we left off, because I know for sure that he hasn't changed.”

Jay gives him a small smile. “I understand how you feel, love, but you need to start thinking about what’s best for you. I don’t mean to be harsh but pining for a man who doesn’t seem to care for your attention just isn’t healthy.”

Louis bites his lip. “You don’t think I know that?”

“Louis, you know what you should do for the sake of your own happiness,” Jay says. “You’re a very smart boy. I should know. I raised you.”

Louis scoffs. “Modesty is definitely not your top trait.”

Jay doesn’t say anything. She just wraps her arms around her son and brings him into a tight embrace. Harry smiles at the scene before him, feeling more warm inside than he’s felt in a long time. He turns his head to face Niall only to see that he’s now gone.

In a flash, the kitchen fades away. Harry is now alone in total darkness.


	4. Yet to come

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my darlings! Enjoy!

“Hello?” Harry’s fearful voice echoes throughout the pitch-black space. “Where am I?”

Without any clue of what he's supposed to do, Harry starts walking. He spends what feels like an eternity just walking through the darkness, slowly getting consumed by overwhelming fear. Just when he’s starting to teeter on the edge of insanity, he suddenly appears on a tall hill that overlooks the entirety of his hometown. Light rain falls from the dark gray sky, but it doesn’t get Harry wet. It just goes right through him since he’s technically a ghost at the moment. He flinches when he feels something tap his shoulder and turns around to see a woman. Her skin is deathly pale, her face is devoid of all emotion, and she’s dressed in all black clothing.

“A-Are you the ghost of Christmas yet to come?” Harry asks in a hushed tone.

The woman nods before she speaks in a low, gravelly voice. “Cara.”

Harry nervously bites his lip. His hands feel clammy, his skin feels ice cold, and his breathing is rough and ragged. He feels nothing but fear in her presence. She reaches a hand out towards him and takes a firm hold of his shoulder. A cloud of smoke surrounds them, completely blocking their environment. When it disperses, Harry sees that they’re in a quaint little living room. His heart drops when he sees Louis cuddled up on the couch with a handsome blond.

“He moved on.” Harry says, his voice wavering. He’s completely aware that it’s selfish for him to feel saddened by such a thing, but it’s hard to feel happy for an ex finding happiness with another, especially if your heart is still in their possession.

“I did it!” A loud, high pitched voice yells.

A blonde child, who can’t be older than ten, suddenly runs in the room. She’s holding a canvas with a beautiful picture of a sunset painted on it.

“I’m finally finished!” The child cheers. “Isn’t it amazing?”

Louis and the blond man beside him look at the picture in genuine awe, and not the fake kind of awe an adult displays when a child brings you a bunch of scribble scrabbles that could be God knows what. This child is gifted in her art.

“Connie, sweetie, this is _spectacular_.” Louis praises.

“I agree,” The blond man says. “Grandma Jay is gonna love it.”

The child, who Harry now knows is named Connie, smiles brightly at the praise. “Thank you so much!”

“They have a child together?” Harry asks, looking over at Cara. She nods. “Are they married?” To his dissatisfaction, she nods again.

Harry looks back at the happy family as they continue to gush over the painting. Louis looks at his child and his husband with so much love and it makes Harry’s chest ache.

“This should be us,” Harry whispers. “This house, that kid, all of it should be _ours_ and I… I fucked up. I was a complete idiot. I didn’t swallow my damn pride and chase after him and I ended up losing him forever!”

Harry doesn’t realize he’s crying until Cara starts wiping his tears away with her fingers. She touches his shoulder and they’re once again surrounded by thick smoke. When it disperses, Harry looks around to see that they’re now in another living room. All over the room, there are people with somber expressions dressed head to toe in black. Harry sees Liam and Zayn sitting on the couch, their expressions pained and their eyes bloodshot. Ally, Jess, and Vic surround them, speaking to them in soothing voices.

“What’s going on?” Harrys asks. Cara doesn’t speak, she just points to the mantle above the fireplace. Harry looks at it and he feels his heart shatter in a million pieces. Up on the mantle is a picture of Alex surrounded by flowers and lit candles.

“N-No,” Harry whispers. “He was just… This isn’t fair! No!”

Harry turns to Cara and looks at her desperately, trying his hardest to not break down in a sea of tears. “It can’t be like this. It just can’t. Please tell me it doesn’t have to be like this!”

Cara’s emotionless expression doesn’t falter as their once again surrounded by a cloud of smoke. Once it disperses, Harry looks around again to see they’re now in a cemetery. Contrary to what a cemetery would look like in the mind of the average person, this cemetery was bursting with life. Lush trees, brightly colored flowers, and rose bushes decorated the area. However, the color seems to dim in comparison to the gray sky.

“Is the boy buried here?” Harry asks, on the verge of crying again. To his surprise, Cara shakes her head. “Th-Then why are we here?”

Cara digs her hands in her pockets before she proceeds to walk. Harry falls into step with her and looks at each tombstone with fearful eyes. After trekking through the area and up a steep incline, they finally come across two men hovering over an open grave. They have shovels in their hands and they appear to be out of breath.

“Man, isn’t that sad?” One of the men, a red head, says. “This guy was apparently some sort of hot shot and he had _zero_ mourners.”

The other man, a blond, shrugs. “Not a huge surprise. Heard he was a bit of an ass.” He shakes his head. “Just goes to show that money doesn’t translate to popularity. I’d rather be poor for the rest of my life than have no one miss me when I’m gone.”

“Amen to that, brother,” The red head agrees. “You wanna grab a drink?”

The blond looks at him quizzically. “Shouldn’t we bury him?”

The red head laughs. “We can save that for later. It’s not like he’s going anywhere.”

The blond chuckles as they put down their shovels and head down the steep hill. Harry takes small steps to the unburied grave and stops at a distance where he can’t read the tombstone. There’s a huge part of him that doesn’t want to know whose name is written on it. Cara walks right past him and stands right in front of the grave, looking expectantly at Harry.

“Wh-Whose lonely grave is this?” Harry asks. Cara reaches her hand out and crooks a finger at him.

Reluctantly, Harry comes closer to the grave and stands right in front of it. He avoids looking at the tombstone for a while before he finally glances at it. When he does, he covers his mouth with his hands and falls to his knees.

 

**Harry Edward Styles**

**February 1 st 1994 – December 12th 2019**

 

Harry stands back up and faces Cara, tears streaming down his face. “No one came? That’s bullshit! Surely my mother and sister came.”

She shakes her head.

“M-My bandmates?”

She shakes her head.

Harry licks his dry lips. “Louis?”

She shakes her head.

“Look at the bright side.” She says.

Harry glares at her. “what bright side?”

To Harry’s utter shock, a manic smile spreads across her face. “No one can annoy you anymore. You’re finally alone with your favorite person. Yourself.” She puts her hand on his chest. “Merry Christmas, Harry Styles!” she gives him a harsh push and he starts to fall in the deep, open grave.

Harry screams bloody murder as he falls _down, down, down_ into the endless hole. He manages to grasp on to something before he hits the bottom. He looks up to see Cara, Niall, and Perrie staring down at him.

“Help me!” He yells. He tries to climb back up, but the earth is much too slippery. “Please!”

Suddenly, the open grave is filled with a bright green light. Harry looks down to see that it’s coming from the coffin. It’s open and emits harsh light, smoke, and evil, mocking laughter that sounds like it belongs to the devil himself.

Harry’s eyes widen when chains shoot up from the coffin and snake around his body. They dig into his skin and start to violently pull him down.

“Oh, God!” He cries out. “No! Someone help!”

He holds on as tight as he can to whatever is preventing him from falling, but the chains end up yanking him down. His limbs flail as he falls into the soft interior of the coffin. The chains force him to lay down as they wrap around his body.

As the coffin starts to close, he can still see Cara, Niall, and Perrie looking down at him. Cara looks amused while Niall and Perrie look sympathetic.

“I can change!” Harry shouts when the coffin is halfway closed. “I can change! I can change! I can change!”

The coffin closes completely and Harry is screaming in total darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a dark chapter but don't you worry. In the last chapter, i'm gonna shove so much Christmas spirit down your throat, you'll be puking candy canes! (Lovely imagery I just created.)


	5. Light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please enjoy!

Harry jolts awake with sweat soaking through his shirt and a racing heart. He’s trembling as he looks around to see that he’s back in his hotel room. Morning light streams through the window and the alarm clock reads 7:32 AM. After his breathing calms down and his rattled mind starts to settle, he shoots out of bed and starts preparing for the day. He takes a quick shower and throws on the same clothes he wore yesterday. He grabs his knapsack and exits his hotel room. As he runs down the halls, he spots a housekeeper pushing a cart full of cleaning supplies.

“Excuse me, miss,” He calls. The housekeeper flinches in surprise and looks up. She gapes when she sees who just spoke to her. “What day is it today?”

Her eyebrows furrow in confusion. “Um, December 24th. I… feel weird for asking since you’re probably busy, but can I have a picture? I love your band.”

A huge grin spreads across Harry’s face as he comes up to the housekeeper and wraps her up in a huge hug. “Of course you can!”

After the housekeeper gets her picture, Harry runs off after he wishes her a Merry Christmas. Instead of taking the elevator, he runs down the stairs and straight out of the hotel, smiling like a fool and wishing everyone he passes by a very merry Christmas. He runs down the street, wanting to get to the concert venue as soon as possible. At one point, he passes by a group of ladies collecting money for their food drive. He drops all of the cash in his wallet on their table.

“Holy- wow! Thank you sir!” One of the ladies yell after him.

“Don’t mention it!” He yells back, not slowing down or looking back. “Merry Christmas!”

Eventually, Harry finally makes it to the venue and rushes inside. Stage crew members rush around the area, trying to get everything ready for today's show. Some of the artists performing tonight are heading backstage to make any last minute changes or corrections. He scans the crowd and sees Liam talking with one of the sound operators.

“Liam!” Harry yells, running towards him. Liam looks up in alarm. His expression turns shocked and slightly confused at the look of enthusiasm on Harry’s face. When Harry reaches to Liam, he wraps him in a huge hug.

Liam freezes. “Um, are you alright, Harry?”

Harry pulls back with a delighted grin on his face. “Liam, I’ve never felt better.”

Liam manages to look a lot more confused than before. “What?”

“Liam,” Harry sighs. “Go home.”

Liam’s eyes widen and his skin pales. “Do... do you have an issue with anything I’ve done, sir?”

Harry furiously shakes his head. “No, not at all. You’re a damn good manager, Liam. We wouldn’t be where we are without you.”

Liam looks as if he’s about to faint at Harry’s sudden kindness. “Thank you, Harry. That means a lot.”

Harry embraces Liam once again. “I want you to go home and spend Christmas with your family.”

Liam shakes his head. “I’m afraid the flight I intended to take has already left, Harry.”

“Then take the jet.” Harry says with a shrug of his shoulders.

Liam feels like he’s in a weird dream. Harry never lets him ride on the jet.

“I… are you sure you’re ok, Harry?” Liam asks warily.

Harry pulls back from the embrace and fixes Liam with a sincere smile. “Go home.” He leans closer until his mouth Is next to Liam’s ear. “And make sure you tape that performance for me. Your son is gonna do great.”

He pulls back to see that Liam now has misty eyes. Harry has never seen him so relaxed and _happy_.

“Th-Thank you.” Liam whispers.

“Anytime, Liam, and if there’s anything I can do, anything at all, I want you to tell me. Merry Christmas.”

*~*

Outside the door of The Commoners’ dressing room, Harry hears laughter and loud voices trying to talk over each other. When he enters the room, the noise dies down and the air is filled with tension. Ally, Jess, and Vic are laying around the room, looking at Harry with emotionless expressions.

“Um, hey, guys.” Harry greets. They all reply with their own muttered greetings.

Harry just stands there, feeling small and vulnerable for the first time in years. He looks away from the judgmental stares of his bandmates and nervously bites his lip.

“Jess,” He says.

Jess’ eyes widen at being addressed by him. “Uh, yeah?”

Harry keeps his eyes down and starts picking his nails. “If the offer still stands… I would _love_ to go to your Christmas party.”

Jess gasps, Ally almost chokes on the water she’s drinking, and Vic looks as if he’s going to pass out. The room is silent for a while before Jess gets up and cautiously approaches Harry. He looks up at her with vulnerable eyes that she hasn’t seen in such a long time. Now overwhelmed with emotion for her life long friend, Jess wraps her arms around Harry and buries her face in his neck.

“Of course you can come,” She breathes. “You’re _always_ welcomed, Haz.”

Harry almost cries. He hasn’t been called by that nickname in God knows how long. Eventually, Ally and Vic get up from their spots and join the hug.

“Why the sudden change of heart?” Ally asks, genuinely confused at Harry’s sudden change.

He shrugs. “I-I just want to spend time with all of you. It’s Christmas, and I don’t want to be alone on Christmas. I love you guys so much. I hope you know that.”

The band squeezes Harry even tighter, a gesture that says loud and clear, _“We love you too.”_

After a while of just standing there and embracing, they finally tear away from each other.

“Guys, there’s something I want to add to our performance.” Harry says.

Vic shrugs. “Sure, man. What is it?”

*~*

“Are you having a good time?!”

The audience gives a resounding cheer in response to Harry’s question. The Commoners came on after Marina and the diamonds finished her set, and they just got finished with their sixth and final song. Harry has spent the entire performance trying to spot Louis and his family in the audience, but he can’t seem to do so.

Harry grins. “Alright, everyone, that was our last song, but we want to close with something special. This is, uh, a cover of another amazing song, and it’s special because it’s the first song we’ve ever performed live.”

Among the cheering audience, there’s hysteria from people who are _die-hard_ fans of The Commoners. They know exactly what song they're about to perform. Jess counts to three in her head before she plays the opening notes of Mr. Brightside. Harry’s eyes comb over the audience as he begins to sing, looking for the one person he needs.

_“Coming out of my cage_

_And I’ve been doing just fine._

_Gotta gotta be down_

_Because I want it all._

_It started out with a kiss_

_How did it end up like this?_

_It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss.”_

Eventually, Harry’s eyes spot someone walking out of a section of the audience and briskly walking down the aisle. It’s clear that the person wants to make a quick escape from the venue, but Harry won’t let them leave, not this time.

“Louis!”

Louis stops dead in his tracks, but he doesn’t turn around. There was a gigantic part of him that believed that this was a dream, that none of this is really happening, but as he stands there, frozen due to Harry shouting his name in the microphone for everyone in the venue to hear, he now knows that none of this is a dream. When he turns back around, he sees that Harry is now off the stage, standing just a few feet away from him. The band continues to play the song even though there isn’t anyone singing it anymore. They both just stand there, staring at each other. They don’t even notice the confused commotion coming from the audience. Eventually, Harry takes small steps towards Louis, not stopping until he was right in front of him.

“Hi.” Harry says.

“Hi.” Louis replies, his voice wavering.

That seems to make something break inside of Harry, because words just start flowing out of him. “I don’t deserve you, not in the slightest. I don’t deserve your heart, your kindness, your time of day. I don’t deserve any of that, yet you still give all of it to me. And as I stand in front of you, my heart weighing heavy with regret for… for _hurting_ you, I ask that you give me just one more thing that I don’t deserve. A second chance.” Louis’ breath hitches at that. “But if you choose not to give me that, then I’ll understand. You have already been so-”

Harry is cut off when Louis cups his face and harshly presses their lips together. The music is drowned out by the deafening cheers of people who are absolute _suckers_ for cutesy, romantic moments like this. For the moment, Harry and Louis don’t seem to notice anything else but how amazing their lips feel when joined together. Three years is a long time, but they still hold and caress each other exactly like they used to. For the first time in _three fucking years_ , they’re finally able to breathe.

*~*

“Cheater!”

“Loser!”

“Cheater!”

“Loser!”

After the Winter Ball ended, Harry invited Louis and the rest of his family to join the Christmas party at Jess’ house. Right now, Harry and Louis are in a very heated game of _Candyland_.

“You moved my gingerbread man when I wasn’t looking!” Louis shouts, his tone nothing but accusatory. “I was three steps further than this!”

“No… the fuck… you weren’t!” Harry shouts back.

“Language!” Jay reprimands.

Harry blushes and hangs his head in slight shame. “Sorry, Jay.”

Louis grins at that, feeling like things are truly back to normal. He knows that he and Harry have a lot to talk about, but right now, he’s perfectly content with just having a good time with the people he never thought he’d see again.

“I bring the gift of pastries!” Jess’ mother announces, setting down a plate full of frosted sugar cookies.

Everyone instantly goes for the cookies as if they hold the answer to the meaning of life.

“Calm yourselves!” Jess’ mother shouts. “I am not afraid to cut off the food supply if it makes you all act like a bunch of Neanderthals!”

After everyone, now calmly, gets their fair share of cookies, they lay around the living room and watch Frosty the Snowman. Louis is sitting on Harry’s lap on the recliner, tracing patterns on his arm and basking in his warmth. Jay looks at them with a fond yet wary expression. She still doesn’t fully trust Harry after everything he has made Louis go through, but she’s just happy that her son is now happy.

Louis looks at Harry and gives him a peck on the cheek before he speaks to him in a low voice. “I’m happy. I really am. I’m the happiest I’ve felt in a long time, but I just want you to know that this is your last chance, Haz.” Louis swallows the growing knot in his throat. “I… I can’t put myself through that type of pain anymore. What we have right now is possible because I couldn’t move on. That’s not happening again if either of us fuck this up. If we, God forbid, do end again, I’m gonna do what’s best for me. I will not wait for you to get your shit together. I care deeply about you, but I care about myself too.”

Harry squeezes Louis’ hand. “I completely understand, Lou, but you don’t have to worry about me fucking us up. I plan on keeping you,” He kisses Louis’ cheek. “for the rest,” he kisses the corner of Louis’ mouth. “of my life.” He presses their lips together in a soft kiss that Louis can’t help but smile into.

*~*

“Mum, is dinner ready yet?”

Anne stands in the kitchen holding a pan of obviously uncooked dinner rolls and glares at Gemma. “Yep, dinner’s ready. We’re having slightly raw turkey and dough. Heard it’s real good on the stomach.”

Gemma rolls her eyes. “Very funny. How much longer must we wait? My stomach is gonna start eating itself.”

Anne smirks. “How unfortunate.”

She turns her attention back to the stove and continues preparing the food. A moment later, she hears the doorbell ring.

“I’ll get it!” Gemma shouts.

“Thanks, Gem!” Anne shouts back.

Anne is pulling the dressing out of the stove when she hears a voice she hasn’t heard in so long.

“Hey, mum.”

Anne turns around and almost drops the dressing when her eyes land on Harry, Louis, and Louis’ family. Gemma stands behind them, looking as if she can’t quite believe what she’s seeing.

Harry grins. “Do you have room for… _seven_ more?”

Anne puts the dressing down on the counter and steps forward to wrap her son in a tight hug. She embraces Louis and his family with the same amount of love, making a small mental note to pester Harry for the details of how he and Louis got back together.

“There’s always room for all of you.” She says.

In this moment, Harry swears that his heart has never felt lighter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LOVE YOU ALL. THANKS FOR READING. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND.........  
> JEALOUSY, TURNING SAINTS INTO THE SEA! SWIMMING THROUGH SICK LULLABIES! CHOKING ON YOUR ALIBIS! BUT IT'S JUST THE PRICE I PAY! DESTINY IS CALLING ME! OPEN UP MY EAGER EYES! CAUSE I'M MR. BRIGHTSIDE!!! (Sorry, this was my JAM in middle school.)


End file.
